Monday, September 15, 2014

Mad Max

Maxie is forty-three weeks and ten months! Let the countdown to the big
one year begin! Oh, this little boy...I do love him. Honestly, this
hasn't been the easiest of weeks...I even threw out the nickname "Mad
Max" this week. He has being sleeping Woombieless at night (naps are a
different story)...and he cries at night (break my heart, this little
boy cries) and then he wakes up cranky in the morning (missing me my
happy Max in the morning for sure!). And, my, oh my, this boy lets you
know he is CRANKY...he grunts and screams at you (he isn't crying...just
grunting at you). So, while Jake is thankful that Max is sleeping
Woombieless at night (we all know I am strongly in the camp of Team
Woombie and would keep this boy in it until college)...I miss my always sweet boy (and I know I cannot blame his bad
attitude this last week on the fact that he wasn't getting his special
hug all night (that is what I think the Woombie does...yep, I am
awesome)). So, been a bit of a long week...and, he is sick with a cold
(and he is his father's son...so, he and sickness do not get along well
at all...lots of drama)...and teething (yep, super fun week!). But, he is still a sweet boy in spite of
everything...just praying for a more peaceful week.

So, what did
week forty-three bring for Maxime? Well, his first real cold. I felt
like he has been sick before, but this time it is bad - he is so snotty
and has a horrible cough...poor buddy. He absolutely HATES getting his
nose wiped and using the nose sucker...lots of drama. He also hates
taking medicine. So, been a super fun time dealing with all that...BUT
he will actually sleep at night still, which is fantastic. (Hence why he
still wins the perfect baby award...just kidding (but not really)).I
think he is starting to feel better...maybe?!? I don't really know -
we'll see how this week goes. So, other big news is that he is sleeping
at night without the Woombie...he does cry when I lay him down, but he
is figuring it out and going to sleep. He isn't waking up in the night
(well, not usually), but is still waking up early (which he was also
doing in the Woombie). I did put him in the Woombie one night - we were
going out and he was crying so hard. Sometimes, Max needs that secure
feeling...I (emphasis on I) believe there is nothing wrong with
that...we all know that I would keep him in the Woombie forever (and I
may or may not have ordered him new sleep sacks that he can continue to
grow into...I will do anything in moments of weakness...and a crying,
sleepless baby make those moments of weakness so bad). So, he still sleeps in the Woombie at naps - he just
couldn't calm at naps and hearing a screaming baby gives me the
shakes...so, I squeezed that baby right back into the Woombie...and, he
naps...so, we all win. I just want him to be back to sleeping eleven to
twelve hours a night versus nine to ten hours...praying for that this week! As I
stated above, he has been a bit cranky - he demands you focus on him.
He also screams at me and throws a little tantrum (yes, it is starting
at ten months...oh, joy) if I take the phone away...he has the wifis
obsession bad (I know the feeling).

He still isn't crawling - just throwing himself at things and scooting
backwards (we'll find him with his whole body (except his head) trapped
under furniture...poor buddy, but it is funny). He'll be mobile when he
is good and ready, and for now he makes due. He is reaching for me more
and more - I love that he reaches for me...melts my heart. He also gets
so excited to see me...and Jake...and his brothers (but it is still
special). He gives the best smiles and can be so shy around people -
he'll bury his face in me...love it. He loves to play with his brothers
and is happy just sitting and watching them...and also destroying their
train tracks (and they just love him for doing that). He always cries at
nap time and bedtime (with a Woombie or without)...I try to talk him
out of it, but it doesn't work - he always cries and it breaks my heart.
I am praying this phase ends soon. He is still eating well, but still
no self feeding. BUT he actually has started putting things to his mouth
(like toys, paper...of course, not food)...that is a big step for him.
We are pretty sure he is saying "hi" because he hears it about a million
times a day from all of us...other than "hi", he just says
"dada"...just to spite me of course. He is still teething and now
officially has two teeth (I thought he had two teeth the prior week...I
was wrong). Even with it being a hard week, this boy is happy the
majority of the time. He is sweet, cuddly, fun...an amazing little boy!

Some weeks are
longer than others...that is just a fact. I can embrace that truth and
roll with it. Honestly, over time and many children, my fuse has become
quite long (except on certain things where I have a very, very short
fuse). I can wish for many things during my days (a happy baby, a
sleeping baby, obedient kids, and the list goes on), but I cannot lose
sight that I am in desperate need of God's grace for every second of my
days...and I can't do this on my own. Without Christ, I am
nothing...that is a fact. So, my greatest wish during my weeks is that
Christ shines through me and my boys see it...because without that, all
my others wishes would just be a waste. Here is to a new week...for
health and happiness!!!